College & Research Libraries News (C&RL News) is the official newsmagazine and publication of record of the Association of College & Research Libraries, providing articles on the latest trends and practices affecting academic and research libraries.

Grants and Acquisitions

The North Carolina State University (NCSU) Libraries has been awarded a $35,000 grant from The Pentair Foundation to support STEM-related programming and instruction for underrepresented groups at NCSU. The grant helps establish a new “Pentair Fellows” program through which graduate students will develop and teach free workshops on STEM tools and technologies, lowering NCSU students’ barriers of entry into STEM fields. The grant also sponsors the libraries’ successful making space series of public talks and workshops advocating for women in STEM fields. The workshops will cover both basic tech and tools, such as Excel and project management, and emergent ones like Python, Tableau, 3-D printing, and virtual/augmented reality. The Fellows will also create parallel online tutorials for students to access remotely when studying abroad, working on internships in the field, or otherwise unable to attend in person.

A selection of letters from President James Monroe that have been acquired by William & Mary Libraries.

Acquisitions

More than two dozen letters handwritten by James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States and an alumnus of the university, have been acquired by the William & Mary Libraries. The letters, which have never before been published, document communications between Monroe and his Secretary of the Treasury, William Crawford. The letters were purchased from the Raab Collection, a historical document and autograph dealer whose specialties include documents signed by U.S. presidents and other historical figures from the 16th through the 21st century. The firm acquired the letters from descendants of Crawford. Crawford’s correspondence, or what remained after a house fire burned many of his letters, were passed down within the family and eventually came into the hands of Crawford’s great-great-great-great grandson. According to dealer Nathan Raab, the owner described finding the letters in a box in his mother’s house. The letters join the library’s James Monroe Family Papers, a collection of more than 300 letters and other documents by, to, and concerning Monroe and his family. Dating primarily from 1780 to 1831, the collection covers Monroe’s service as an officer during the American Revolution, governor of Virginia, minister to France and Great Britain, Secretary of State and War and President, as well as post-presidential years. The collection covers a variety of topics such as family life, business affairs, diplomacy and foreign relations, slavery and politics, and it includes one of the only existing letters written by Monroe’s wife. William & Mary Libraries and James Monroe’s Highland are preparing to digitize the James Monroe Family Papers, making these materials freely accessible online. The papers are expected to be available online by spring 2017.